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Rapid CA Class I

Ledger Island Riffle (Beaver Riffle)

San Joaquin - Friant Dam to Mendota Pool Dam (CA)

Monitor this Rapid
Gauge Conditions
San Joaquin River below Friant CA Upstream Primary
Runnable: 150.0 – 15,000.0 CFS

Good for canoes and beginners.

Data from American Whitewater & USGS
CDEC Flow Data California
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER NFW Primary
Elevation: 5,200 ft
Data from California Data Exchange Center (CDEC)
Photo
Ledger Island Riffle (Beaver Riffle)
Photo courtesy of American Whitewater
Description

After a long flat straight section, the river comes to the head of Ledger Island and makes a sharp bend to the left.  The river drops down a wide, shallow, but long riffle.   On the sides at the top of the riffle look for the handiwork of beavers trying to dam the river.   

At low flows the deepest water has been on the far river left, but this can change from year to year..   Pass to the left of two very small bushy islands  then cut back out to the right of a third very small bushy island.

Indian grinding holes can be seen in the top of the boulder on river right at the bottom.

During high flood releases above 5,000 cfs, part of the river above the rapid, flows to the right into a large expance of gravel pits and flood plains in the center of Ledger Island.  This flow rejoins the main channel a few hundred yards below the concrete bridge. 

Location
Type
Rapid
Difficulty
Class I
Mile Marker
3.3 mi
Directions
Navigate
View Full Run
Friant Dam to Mendota Pool Dam
San Joaquin
I 61.6 mi
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater